ChevyGuy91
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You're a hyper-tactical sniper now too?
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Long Range Rifle
- Thread starter MaverickNH
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You're a hyper-tactical sniper now too?
cockpitbob
NES Member
Where within 500 miles of here can you see more than 200 yards anyway? Even if you're perched on a rock outcropping on a hill and can see a mile, all you'll see is trees. I love long range marksmanship, but there's essentially no place to use around here outside of a few ranges.
I'm planning on an 18 or 20" in an SPR/DMR/SAM-R type set up as my next purchase, but it's going to be a looong ways away.
GunGrey
Banned
Some questions
SS barrels ? Why are they that much better than chf barrels.
I'm wanting to do a 18in rifle length upper, flattop, and a free float rail ; I'm looking at the troy trx tubes. Kinda want to wait for the alpha rails to come out. And a scope with a high magnification of at the most 15-16x and a low power of around 3x.
And of course a brake/comp or should I just go unthreaded and crowned. Barrel weight i really don't want to make the gun a monster. But I also don't want a lightweight barrel that starts to open up after it gets warm.
SS barrels ? Why are they that much better than chf barrels.
I'm wanting to do a 18in rifle length upper, flattop, and a free float rail ; I'm looking at the troy trx tubes. Kinda want to wait for the alpha rails to come out. And a scope with a high magnification of at the most 15-16x and a low power of around 3x.
And of course a brake/comp or should I just go unthreaded and crowned. Barrel weight i really don't want to make the gun a monster. But I also don't want a lightweight barrel that starts to open up after it gets warm.
Better depends on what the criteria is.
Stainless Steel is very easy to machine and it leaves a nice finish. It's good material for making barrels because of that quality. It also seems to copper up less in my experience. I think this makes them a little easier to clean. I don't think there is a hill of beans between them as far as accuracy. I think the CM barrels do last a little longer though.
You can read about barrel steel on Boots' website.
B
Stainless Steel is very easy to machine and it leaves a nice finish. It's good material for making barrels because of that quality. It also seems to copper up less in my experience. I think this makes them a little easier to clean. I don't think there is a hill of beans between them as far as accuracy. I think the CM barrels do last a little longer though.
You can read about barrel steel on Boots' website.
B
MaverickNH
NES Member
I took the 3-day Precision Scoped Rifle course at SIG Sauer in Epping, NH this weekend 14-16 Oct 2011. There were seven students and one instructor. The instructor was a former National Guard Sgt with extensive firearms experience who presently works at a defense contractor in NH and is responsible for loads of firearms. He had instructed the course 3 times previously. I would rate him as a very good instructor.
The course appears very basic, assuming little or no knowledge of rifles, scopes or shooting. Three of seven showed up and used loaner rifles (nice SIG TAC-2 rifles and Blasers with Leupold Mark 4 tactical scopes and suppressors). Others came with Savage or Winchester rifles and scopes of varying quality, but none over $1k. I shot a Remington 700P 308 with Bushnell Elite 4200 6-24x40 FFP mil/mil scope and 308SMK 175g Southwest Ammunition match ammo. There was one 300WinMag rifle that was remarkably loud. No muzzle brakes on any rifle, just the loaners with cans on 2 of 3.
It rained all Friday so we spent the day in the classroom. I think most of us were prepared to shoot in the rain but as several came from a distance without much gear, they would have been soaked and hypothermic before noon. The classroom discuss was fairly basic, with most information I had learned from either an Appleseed shoot or general reading on long-range rifle. But the instructor had some good advice and information to add to my collection, so no complaints.
Day 2 was mostly at 100yd, zeroing rifles (mine was 0.2mil high, having switched from Federal 308GMSMK175 to another brand), shooting slow and fast strings, shooting steel and box-testing the scopes (albeit with 4inch boxes). We pulled back to 200yd for a few hours. The class was generally really good, with only a few equipment glitches (one guy had a scope that failed - dropped a part internally that obscured vision, and one SIG loaner scope had only 1 of 2 rings actually secured) - once rectified, we all shooting 4inch groups at 200yd, with many shooting 2inch groups or better. Those $7k SIG/Leupold rifles make it pretty easy!
Day 3 was 100yd, to 200yd, with the last hour at 300yd. Unfortunately, SIG can't shoot before noon Sundays and after 6pm daily, so trigger time was limited. They had a range open to 500yd by blocking roads but due to construction we were limited to 300yd. They have a 1000yd range in progress and plan to open that Spring 2012.
What you get, is good basic instruction. I loosed 190 rounds of the 300 round recommended count. I think we lost some good range time Friday due to the rain. But being a basic course, I can see not putting a newbie in cold rain to zero a rifle for the first time.
What you don't get is much individual evaluation of position and trigger control. Nothing on use of Mil-Dot reticles for range estimation and no shooting at unknown distances. Some had simple crosshair reticles, so they couldn't have managed such work.
I would say it's a decent class for those with little or no scoped rifle experience, as described. When they open the 1000yd range, it will be a better course out to >300yd. Too costly at $600 for what you get, compared to other places, but as they were 30min from home, I'm still happy with what I learned and my performance (best group at 300yd <2inches with a stock rifle).
Next - off to one of those places Jose and others have mentioned for some "real" long distance rifle work!
The course appears very basic, assuming little or no knowledge of rifles, scopes or shooting. Three of seven showed up and used loaner rifles (nice SIG TAC-2 rifles and Blasers with Leupold Mark 4 tactical scopes and suppressors). Others came with Savage or Winchester rifles and scopes of varying quality, but none over $1k. I shot a Remington 700P 308 with Bushnell Elite 4200 6-24x40 FFP mil/mil scope and 308SMK 175g Southwest Ammunition match ammo. There was one 300WinMag rifle that was remarkably loud. No muzzle brakes on any rifle, just the loaners with cans on 2 of 3.
It rained all Friday so we spent the day in the classroom. I think most of us were prepared to shoot in the rain but as several came from a distance without much gear, they would have been soaked and hypothermic before noon. The classroom discuss was fairly basic, with most information I had learned from either an Appleseed shoot or general reading on long-range rifle. But the instructor had some good advice and information to add to my collection, so no complaints.
Day 2 was mostly at 100yd, zeroing rifles (mine was 0.2mil high, having switched from Federal 308GMSMK175 to another brand), shooting slow and fast strings, shooting steel and box-testing the scopes (albeit with 4inch boxes). We pulled back to 200yd for a few hours. The class was generally really good, with only a few equipment glitches (one guy had a scope that failed - dropped a part internally that obscured vision, and one SIG loaner scope had only 1 of 2 rings actually secured) - once rectified, we all shooting 4inch groups at 200yd, with many shooting 2inch groups or better. Those $7k SIG/Leupold rifles make it pretty easy!
Day 3 was 100yd, to 200yd, with the last hour at 300yd. Unfortunately, SIG can't shoot before noon Sundays and after 6pm daily, so trigger time was limited. They had a range open to 500yd by blocking roads but due to construction we were limited to 300yd. They have a 1000yd range in progress and plan to open that Spring 2012.
What you get, is good basic instruction. I loosed 190 rounds of the 300 round recommended count. I think we lost some good range time Friday due to the rain. But being a basic course, I can see not putting a newbie in cold rain to zero a rifle for the first time.
What you don't get is much individual evaluation of position and trigger control. Nothing on use of Mil-Dot reticles for range estimation and no shooting at unknown distances. Some had simple crosshair reticles, so they couldn't have managed such work.
I would say it's a decent class for those with little or no scoped rifle experience, as described. When they open the 1000yd range, it will be a better course out to >300yd. Too costly at $600 for what you get, compared to other places, but as they were 30min from home, I'm still happy with what I learned and my performance (best group at 300yd <2inches with a stock rifle).
Next - off to one of those places Jose and others have mentioned for some "real" long distance rifle work!
I know this is an old thread but one that I found interesting. I'm new to this site but am always looking for other sites that have discussion about long range shooting. I see that Jose put some videos shooting at Thunder Valley here in Ohio. It's a nice range but there is another 1000 yard range here in Ohio not far from Thunder Valley. It's very challenging with multiple stations with varying size targets with point value based on target sizes. The shooting positions are scattered around a very large farm and offer varying wind conditions by shooting in nearly all directions.
They shoot the 4th Sunday of each month, sign up starts at 9:00AM and the shooting starts at 10:00. They also shoot on Saturday but a phone call to Tom Rayner to see if a Saturday spot is available. They divide the guns into Rifles with Optics, Rifles with iron sights and Handguns.
Rayners Range Website: http://www.raynersrange.com/
Some video of the targets we shoot viewed from the bench then zooming out to see the hit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwE70ihOYIk&context=C34f04c7ADOEgsToPDskJTk3KDPgsmZZ8Bk562Whok
A short clip of some shooters during a match. It is biased a bit of me, my son and shooting buddy Dale shooting our short guns but does have a few rifles also. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRpZUsog_Jo&context=C34f04c7ADOEgsToPDskJTk3KDPgsmZZ8Bk562Whok
For the nonbelievers my son, myself and a friend shoot 15" barreled bolt action pistols at these 1000 matches. They do quite well even at the 1000 targets. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYrrYSivvGg&context=C34f04c7ADOEgsToPDskJTk3KDPgsmZZ8Bk562Whok
If any of you visit the area and wish to shoot at Rayners they allow shooting even thru the week for $10.00 a day. The long range steel plate matches are $20.00. They also have 2 Tactical Sniper matches, one in the Spring and other in the Fall. With there being two 1000 yard ranges so close together you could plan your vacation around shooting at both places.
Topstrap
They shoot the 4th Sunday of each month, sign up starts at 9:00AM and the shooting starts at 10:00. They also shoot on Saturday but a phone call to Tom Rayner to see if a Saturday spot is available. They divide the guns into Rifles with Optics, Rifles with iron sights and Handguns.
Rayners Range Website: http://www.raynersrange.com/
Some video of the targets we shoot viewed from the bench then zooming out to see the hit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwE70ihOYIk&context=C34f04c7ADOEgsToPDskJTk3KDPgsmZZ8Bk562Whok
A short clip of some shooters during a match. It is biased a bit of me, my son and shooting buddy Dale shooting our short guns but does have a few rifles also. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRpZUsog_Jo&context=C34f04c7ADOEgsToPDskJTk3KDPgsmZZ8Bk562Whok
For the nonbelievers my son, myself and a friend shoot 15" barreled bolt action pistols at these 1000 matches. They do quite well even at the 1000 targets. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYrrYSivvGg&context=C34f04c7ADOEgsToPDskJTk3KDPgsmZZ8Bk562Whok
If any of you visit the area and wish to shoot at Rayners they allow shooting even thru the week for $10.00 a day. The long range steel plate matches are $20.00. They also have 2 Tactical Sniper matches, one in the Spring and other in the Fall. With there being two 1000 yard ranges so close together you could plan your vacation around shooting at both places.
Topstrap
J
Jose
Hey Top, how goes it.
I'll try to make it to Rayner's at least once this year. Place is awesome but damn if it isn't a long drive from home.
With the way my time's been going, I'll probably be spending most of my range time at 600 at Miami Rifle & Pistol (much, much closer to home).
I'll try to make it to Rayner's at least once this year. Place is awesome but damn if it isn't a long drive from home.
With the way my time's been going, I'll probably be spending most of my range time at 600 at Miami Rifle & Pistol (much, much closer to home).
How ya doing? We're wanting to get up to TVP this summer also. We finished a 260 Savage for my son and mine just came in and picking it up tomorrow. We're venturing over to the dark side and plan on trying the Head Hunter and maybe the Intimidator this summer now that we have something to shoot lying down. 
Seems odd having a barrel two times as long as we've been using. Son is shooting his for the first time in a match tomorrow at Rayners, in practice it's doing very well so it should be fun. Shame folks from both places don't participate more together. Look forward to seeing you this summer and ringing some steel.
Topstrap
Seems odd having a barrel two times as long as we've been using. Son is shooting his for the first time in a match tomorrow at Rayners, in practice it's doing very well so it should be fun. Shame folks from both places don't participate more together. Look forward to seeing you this summer and ringing some steel.Topstrap
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MaverickNH , Who was the instructor of your 3 day class....Was it Tim T.?
This thread seems to be a little dead, so to give it a kick, I traveled to a spot of nameless desert earlier this winter:
And I brought a friend:
You can't see any of them, but there are targets at "unknown distances" around 300, 500, 800, and 1000. I converted a good number of .308 cartridges to .308 brass. Some of them I converted to actual hits on target!
Overall, it was a pretty good day. It was my first time beyond 300 yards, but getting out to 800 was remarkably easy. I saw trace for the first time, and had a great time calling wind that was doing strange things (and then watching my bullet zig-zag on the way there). I also discovered my 168s were going subsonic before 1000![[crying]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/006.gif "Crying [crying]")
.
I have upcoming 3-gun match obligations I need to prepare for with my limited shooting time, so the bolt-gun is going back into the safe for a while... but it'll certainly get more use later this year. Thanks to everyone here who convinced me that precision rifle could actually be fun!
And I brought a friend:
You can't see any of them, but there are targets at "unknown distances" around 300, 500, 800, and 1000. I converted a good number of .308 cartridges to .308 brass. Some of them I converted to actual hits on target!
Overall, it was a pretty good day. It was my first time beyond 300 yards, but getting out to 800 was remarkably easy. I saw trace for the first time, and had a great time calling wind that was doing strange things (and then watching my bullet zig-zag on the way there). I also discovered my 168s were going subsonic before 1000
.I have upcoming 3-gun match obligations I need to prepare for with my limited shooting time, so the bolt-gun is going back into the safe for a while... but it'll certainly get more use later this year. Thanks to everyone here who convinced me that precision rifle could actually be fun!
